The Floating World Class cruise liner was a luxury starship designed to transport passengers through the Verse in relative comfort and with ample entertainment. Consisting of five decks, vessels of the Floating World Class employed a quartet of engines to drive them through space. Each vessel was crewed by over eighty personnel, including officers, space hands, passenger care specialists and entertainers. Ships of the Floating World Class were lavishly appointed, with dining and gambling salons, extensive passenger quarters, entertainment facilities and Companion services. Ships in the class included the El Dorado, the Galaxy Princess, the Lotus Blossom, the Nu Du Shen, and the Truthful James.

Contents

Characteristics

The Floating World Class cruise liners were designed to be the height of luxury, costing one million credits to buy, and 32,000 credits per year in maintenance costs. Passengers traveling on Floating World Class vessels could expect to pay around three hundred credits a day for the privilege. Consisting of five individual decks, ships of the Floating World Class employed four thrust engines—two on either side of the vessel—to propel it through space. Over eighty crew served aboard the a Floating World Class, including officers and security personnel, space hands, passenger care specialists, Companions, and various entertainers. The ship could carry 600 tons of fuel, giving the vessel the ability to fly for 1,200 hours before needing to refuel, and contained forty-three passenger cabins and three VIP suites for passenger comfort. Sixteen 20-ton life boats and six passenger shuttles were also carried aboard.

Schematics of Decks 1-2

Deck 1

Deck 1 was the lowest level of the ship and contained the vessel's power converters and engine room towards the aft, as well as other ship systems such as the landing gear, air locks, and exterior docking ring. Deck 1 was also the location of the ship's two cargo bays at the fore of the ship, as well as crew quarters and bathrooms in the middle. A guest gangway, which allowed passengers access to the ship when it was landed on a planet, led to a reception area where guests were received before being taken to quarters on the upper levels. A small security post was also located near to the reception.

Deck 2

Deck 2 was reserved for crew members. Crew quarters were located to the aft of the deck, along with the crew lounge and crew mess. A pantry, larder and kitchen were located next the crew mess, and the deck was also the site of the ship's laundry and the purser's office. A reception area for guests transiting through the deck was located in the middle of the deck, while catwalks that were suspended above the cargo areas on Deck 1 dominated the fore of the ship.

Deck 3

Schematics of Decks 3-4

Deck 3 was one of the passenger decks on a Floating World Class vessel. The forward section of the deck contained an amphitheater with seating for up to five hundred people, as well as a full-depth stage that was able to put on a large variety of entertainment. A small backstage area and concierge station served the amphitheater. Quarters for the entertainers were located near to the amphitheater, which included bathrooms and a private mess complete with pantry and larder.

Public restrooms were situated near the amphitheater, along with offices for both the quartermaster and entertainment officer. The main dining salon was located on this deck, along with a small promenade. The grand salon was in middle of the deck, along with the start of the Grand Staircase, which ran from Deck 3 up to Deck 5. The aft of the vessel contained passenger cabins and restrooms, as well as the gambling salon and bar.

Deck 4

Deck 4 was another passenger deck. The forward section contained an area exclusively for Companion services, including a companion lounge and promenade, as well as access to the six passenger shuttles that were used by Companions to conduct their business in. The main security office was located on the companion promenade. The aft of the deck was reserved for passenger cabins and VIP suites. A secondary security office and a Companion office were located in the aft section.

Schematics of Deck 5

Deck 5

Deck 5 was the operations deck of the vessel. The forward part of the vessel contained the cabins for both the captain and pilot, along with a conference room for staff meetings. The fore boat deck, which allowed access to eight of the ship's life boats, dominated the front of the vessel. The ship's bridge sat in the center of the deck. Behind the bridge was the top level of the Grand Staircase, which gave passengers access to the aft boat deck—containing access to the other eight life boats—and the ship's infirmary.

Role

Vessels of the Floating World Class sailed a prescribed route through the systems of the Verse, usually taking their time and allowing their passengers to enjoy the journey. The passengers could enjoy the various shipboard facilities and take in the sights of the Verse as the ship continued on its round. Generally, the ship would only stop at planets long enough to take on food and supplies, allow passengers to see the "exotic" sights of the current planet they were visiting, allow passengers to embark or debark as needed, and to change entertainment troupes. Passengers on Floating World Class ships could pay up to 300 credits per day for the privilege of traveling aboard.